Silver Path (Part 1)
by Eba-chan150
Summary: Three Bits are gone… Gone like in different dimensions. So Silver has to find them and avoid as many problems as possible. That won't be easy. He will have to fight with rogue robots, big monsters, and painful past. Helping hand(full) will provide a new robot partner with… few personalities issues. Stay tuned for wacky action and bad puns.
1. Encounter

_**! Hello, I have moved to WATTPAD, if you like what have you found here, you may like the NEWEST stories there. My username there is WITTO150. This story will be there too and I plan to make it even better.  
**_

* * *

Yo, Eba-chan's here! Some of you may remember me from my two stories - Silver Darkness and White Book. To tell the truth, this story was already partly written by the time I finished publishing White Book. But I lost an inspiration so it waited till I found it and I did! There was only one problem... The length! It's sooo long! I wanted to have another Sonic Universe format but guess what... Yes, I had so much to cover and write about it exceeded the limit like a dozen of times already. Ugh, I'm terrible. Not to mention this story isn't finished yet, but I have so much I wanted to post it anyway to have one more reason to finish this.

But back to the story... It will have three main parts, while the first one is crossover while the rest is only Sonic the hedgehog. So I'll upload the first part (Crossover) here in crossover section and the rest of the story in the normal category. No worries, I'll put URL at the bottom for you to follow. I hope you won't mind it. And if you think the story has a similar name like Silver Darkness... then you are right! It is a sequel to it and I already have plans for the third big story creating a trilogy.

So please enjoy :-)

* * *

Silver entered Von Schlemmer's laboratory. He was carefully looking here and there, expecting an attack. He was right to do so, as his every visit was accompanied by a three way too playful virtual hedgehogs. They were professors creations and their name was Bits. All three had one name, they shared a similar design and a red orb attached to a head.

That's where the same things end, they had different colors. Red, yellow and blue and their personalities were as well different. One was more mischievous than the other. Their most favorite game was to hide in electronic and causing it to malfunction when someone was about to use it or simply jumping out of it.

Silver started to look for them as he was getting worried. It was too unusual for them not to show up. He looked in the microwave that professor made himself (and it actually works), he checked the digital lock near auto-door, looked behind a coach and below it too and examined the big old printer and many other places.

But they were nowhere to be found. Hedgehog was getting a bad feeling like they are in a big mess. Professor Von Schlemmer was there with him, walking here and there and doing something in another place. As the holographic screens looked fine, they weren't hiding in the main computer.

"Professor, did you see Bits?" Silver approached him, as he was usually to absent-minded to notice someone else presence.

"Nein, aren't zey in ze microwave?"

"No."

"In ze old printer?"

"No."

"Behind ze coach?"

"No."

"Under ze—"

"No!" Silver crossed his arms.

"In ze lock—"

"No, I checked like everywhere." Silver run out of patience.

"Zat's veird. Vere zey can be?"

"Did you see them today?" As it was just early afternoon they couldn't disappear too long ago. Yesterday they just fried Silver's toast in a toaster.

"Zat's right, I did see zem. Zey vere playing like always." Blue skinned professor, who looked like he had at least robotic skin, looked around the room. "I saw zem here und zere." Professor started to retrace his steps. "I have checked Duper Genesis Portal Maker (TM)." He went to other room that was a bit smaller.

The portal maker was his own experiment to create a path across time and space even to before unknown places. He intended to be used in a case of emergency and for research purpose. The base was hexagonal with a circle above it and few lasers pointing to its center. Von Schlemmer warmed Silver not to activate it as it could send him to anywhere. Furthermore, the portal itself was unstable, having a tendency to collapse or to change coordination in a matter of seconds.

"For a strange reason it, vas svitched on." He looked below the table while Silver checked some machines.

"Maybe you forgot to switch it off." His bad feeling just got… badder.

"Nein, I'm certain I did."

They stopped and looked at each other. "Bits!" they shouted in unison.

"Zey must have activated ze Duper Genesis Portal Maker (TM) by an accident and vent zrough!" Professor rushed to it.

"Meaning?" Silver stood next to him.

"It means zey are in ze different dimensions!" Professor knelt and checked a small box next to it. "Zere it is!" Professor pointed at the holo-screen.

"What's that?"

"As is ze Duper Generator Portal Maker (TM) unstable, I have made a logging device to show me zere it leads."

"So we know where they are?"

"Pretty much ja, but the Duper…" Silver looked impatient. "DGPM (TM) made many paths." He showed him a list of them.

"I can't search all of them." There were like hundreds of them that were made in just a few seconds.

"Nein, but zis one is indicating something vent zough. I'll check ze other entries, you vill rescue Bits."

Silver wasn't happy about that, but he couldn't leave them alone and lost in an unknown world. Professor was preparing the machine.

'Let's hope they ended up in peaceful worlds.' He had enough crazy adventures for a while. Someone entered the room. Silver thought it's Gold, but it was some hedgehog robot.

"Yo, psyching up, buddy?" He had five slightly curled quills on his head, LCD panel showing green eyes, short sharp nose, pointy ears and on his chest had circle emblem of green color. His body had mostly no coating showing bare metal parts but he had a black coating on lower parts of limbs, chest and head. Instead of back quills he had two rockets for flying.

"Zat's right!" professor went to him. "Vhy don't you help Silver to search?"

"Um," robot mumbled as the professor was pushing him to Silver.

"Who is he? A robot?" asked the hedgehog.

"No, I'm talking microwave," he rolled his eyes.

Silver didn't like his sarcastic tone.

"Get ready! I can keep it stable only for a vile." Professor inputted the coordination and the portal appeared in a few seconds. "I vish you a luck and take zese." Professor gave Silver some machine that looked like two pipes in a right angle with balls at the tip. Both of them jumped and disappeared. The other side looked peacefully. They were on some rocky terrain.

"So, I'm Silver, Silver the hedgehog," he looked at him, "what's your name?" Hedgehog used his powers to store the small machine in his gloves.

Robot thought for a while. "Crack, call me a Crack."

"Don't tell me you didn't have a name."

"What ya expected? I was just activated."

"Ok, ok." Silver searched the surrounding. Apart of rocks, they found old machines, something resembling electrical pylons and some vehicles. Soon they even heard sounds of a nearby battle.

"I think I know this place," said Silver and soon they arrived at some factory building that was under a robot attack. "It's X and his friends!" Silver flew to them catching few battle bots along the way.

"Hey, if it isn't our furry friend," said Axl shooting one robot before waving.

"Still fighting with mavericks?"

"They die hard," commented it Zero.

"What brings you here?" asked him X that jumped to them.

"It's about—Huh?"

"Scroosh!" A shadow jumped out behind them and shot down few flying enemies. "Hey, Silvie!" The shadow landed, showing Crack, "Why didn't ya say this is a fun zone!" His right arm turned to a small cannon shooting plasma balls.

"Because it isn't?" Silver shouted, trying to drown out the sound of explosions.

"Is he a maverick?" Zero prepared to shoot.

"No, he is with me!" Silver stopped him and turned to Crack. "And don't call me Silvie, it's Silver."

"Har, har," replied robot uninterestedly.

"You've got a pretty crazy friend there, Silver," said X.

Crack measured him… very strictly. Then he made a line on the ground.

"Yar half," pointed behind them, "my half!" And he run toward mavericks shooting them.

"He is really crazy!"

"Leave something for me!" shouted Axl and run after him.

"This one is mine!" He shot it. "This too! This one too! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mineminemine… Mr. Mime—what the?" A big robot with rocket launcher jumped before him "Still mine!" It met quick end with a big hole in his chest.

"Hyah!" Zero waved his saber ready to cut an enemy in half when something blurry run through it. "What?!" The same ball hit another half dozen of mavericks in his vicinity.

"Scroosh!" Shouted Crack when he finished his homing attack.

"Stop stealing my targets!"

"Ya'r too slow, girly!" He entered the factory complex and run through corridors, shooting anything in his path being it bat-bots or wall lasers.

"I'm not a girl! I'm a man!"

Crack turned his head and rammed full speed into the wall, leaving his profile there before falling to the ground. The word Error appeared on his LCD face-screen. "Does not compute. System error. System error!"

"Why you—!" Zero reached to punch him, but he only hit the ground. The robot escaped in the nick of the time.

"Still too slow, blondie!" Crack rushed ahead.

"Come back here!" Zero was chasing him.

"Your friend is a lunatic!" shouted X on Silver, that shorted few bots. They almost had a hard time keeping with them.

"I guess he has some personality issues."

"He acts like a maverick," added Axl.

"He isn't one… I hope," Silver didn't sound much convincingly.

Crack entered a large area full of enemies. They were flying, crawling and walking. The robot stopped and was trembling. Zero finally catch up to him.

"What's up? Finally feeling the pressure?" The robot didn't react. 'Maybe I shouldn't be too hard on him.' He cleared his throat, even if it was physically impossible. "You did a good job, kid, now move aside and let the pro do his job." He stood up next to him when Crack abruptly lifted his head.

"Smashing paradise!" Crack's eyes were like big throbbing hearts.

"Wha—!" Zero had few seconds serious problem with a balance.

"Bring it on!" He jumped to their midst making a quick work of them. He didn't stop laughing. When X and others arrived this place looked more like big scraped yard.

Zero beheaded one humanoid reploid, Crack immediately kick the head and hit two flying robots before the head ended up inside of a big screen.

"Goal!" shouted Crack and started to run around the room. "Awesome Crack scored a goal in the last second assuring his team crushing victory! The crowd goes wild! Scroosh!" He slid the floor on his knees making a V-Victory pose.

"I ask for permission to shoot him," grumbled Zero towards X.

"Easy now, he is Silver's friend."

"I hope so, I don't know him much longer than you guys."

"Meaning?" asked Axl and all of them looked at him.

"Like… about 30 seconds longer," Silver shrug a bit.

"Hey," said Crack loudly, "I had to be activated sometime."

"Yeah, right, you maverick-wannabe." Zero mumbled.

"Pff, ya are just jealous 'cause I have a better profile," Crack turned his head and looked like an Egyptian painting.

"Crack, stop with it! Your behavior is terrible," rebuked him hedgehog.

Mechahog looked at him surprised, then his eyes turned sad and he sat down making circles with a finger. "I just… wanted to be friendly… easy going… I was just activated… my social chip must need an upgrade…" he was sulking.

X nudged to Zero and nodded toward Crack. Zero sighed. Maybe he was too hard on him, he did help them a lot.

"Ok, I guess we didn't start on the right note, so let's put it behind us and be friends," he offered him his hand.

Crack looked at him and then his eyes shined with happiness. He jumped and accepted Zero's hand. Everything looked good… til Zero wasn't shocked.

"Bwahaha! Ya felt for the oldest and the most stupid trick!" Crack was rolling on the ground laughing. Zero was standing, his hair looked like a mace and there were electric sparks running on his body.

"You little—!" He waved his saber, but Crack was too fast for him.

"Smell ya later kzzzt… Ha- -ck it!"

Silver caught him with his power that made Crack feeling a little uneasy. His psychic aura did have a little negative effect on machines.

"Permission. To. Shoot. Now!"growled Zero while X and Axl tried to hold him.

"Calm down Zero, it was just a prank," X said while Axl was trying hard not to laugh too loud, giving X even harder time not to start too.

"Yeah, he is haha… just… pfff… kid," Axl was losing his fight with laughter.

Zero made a loud shout, before shaking his comrades. Silver put giggling Crack down. For the rest of mission, Zero was frowning, but nothing else happened as the area was already cleared. After a some time, they returned to the HQ.

[The HQ]

The main central room had a lot of space. The middle of it was occupied with round hologram tube, showing dozens of screens. Around it was round computer panel and six reploids were sitting behind it, making calls and coordinating units on the field. Crack was looking around when he noticed certain blonde female coordinator.

"Hey, Crack, behave—What?!" Silver just took his eyes out of him for a sec and he was gone.

"Hey, babe, ya free tonight? I know this kzzzt What now?!" Crack's lips pouted and he crossed his arms looking like a naughty child. "I'm trying to kzt be social here if ya don't kzzzt mind!"

"You are just embarrassing!" said Silver pulling him back to him.

"What? First is my sociali-krz-zation bad and ya complain, and when I try to do it well-kzt, ya complain too! Ya don't compute, Silvie!"

"It's Silver!" He put him next to him.

The blonde reploid looked at X and he just shrugged his shoulders coming to her.

"Careful, Alia, that guy acts like a maverick," said Zero when he stood next to her too.

"Oh well, he is… a bit lively," added X.

"And to think Zero was complaining about me," added Axl.

Some reploids were curiously looking at the two newcomers. They heard about Silver from X and others, but the new guy was… plain weird.

"So you are Silver the hedgehog, X, and others told me about." The two were approached by tall reploid in mostly dark blue uniform with army look. "My name is Signas and I'm the main commander of this Maverick Hunters headquarters."

Silver had to lean back his head a lot if he wanted to see his face. Reploid commander bent down and offered his hand. Silver shook hands with him.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Silver, Silver the hedgehog." He glimpsed at Crack when he didn't introduce himself.

"What? Oh, yea, 'sup, the name is Crack, uncle." He lifted his hand in a friendly gesture.

Silver only made an awkward face.

"Hey, Crack, come with me to check up," ordered him Zero.

"To where?"

"Every reploid-"

"I'm a robot!" noted Crack offended.

"That's more reasons to go, you are outdated! You can catch maverick virus any time," Zero tried to grab him, but to no avail, as the hedgebot was too quick.

"Pff, I'm too cool to catch a cold less some stupid virus."

"Mechanical beings can't catch a cold, to begin with," Zero growled. X patted him on a shoulder and said: "It's just to be on the safe side. Douglas is the best mechanic we have. You will be in good hands."

Douglas came to them. He was mostly green and beige and had two energy tanks on his backs and red glasses. He smiled a lot.

"Ok, blue bro," Crack listened to him immediately. He even took mechanic's arm and looked like a small child.

"That was easy," noted Axl. "Who would have thought you are good with children," he nudged to X.

"Oh well," X only smiled. "So what brings you here, Silver?"

"Right, I almost forgot. Professor Schlemmer invented a bigger version of Genesis portal generator. It's still a prototype but three Bits accidentally activated it and went thru. The generator separated them and sent to different places. One of them is in this zone. I hoped you could help me in search for it. Maybe you know where it landed."

"Was there any distortion in the space?" he asked operators and they started to work. After a couple of minutes Alia said:

"There seemed to be one an hour ago in sector G-7, but it was weak and it lasted only for a second."

"How these Bits actually look like?" asked Zero.

"Like this," said Crack that just returned from a checkup. He opened his palm and a small hologram of three different colored hedgies with an antenna and small ball at its end appeared.

"Wait a minute, how do you know them? Weren't you activated after they disappeared?" asked Silver.

"C'mon, these guys were making a trampoline from my face, how couldn't I see them and active to boot?"

"You have a point," admitted Silver. They were capable of all sorts of pranks.

"What a small robot," noted Signas.

"They are not robots, they are Virtual Hedgehogs."

"Virtual?" asked Axl.

"Yes, they are solid A.I. programs professor Schlemmer created. They act like children so I'm afraid they maybe run into some trouble."

"Ya sure it's not the other way around?" noted Crack looking at Silver with a sly smile, "I can imagine it giving a hard time to whoever capture it."

"Let's hope they don't catch Maverick virus," said Alia worried.

"I heard previously from X about Mavericks, but what's this virus you are all talking about?" asked Silver, remembering his previous visit to this zone.

"It's malevolent program that infects and corrupts its targets. The Maverick Virus is pretty diverse causing even mechaloids to go berserk. The only way how to erase virus from the infected body it's to destroy the host. The define cure is still unknown," said Crack. "It's that simple," he made a smirk.

"Hey, how do you know that? It's your first time here," pointed Silver out.

"I hacked their database."

"You what?!" Silver almost jumped out of quills.

"Can't I have a hobby?" asked Crack innocently.

"You are seriously pushing it!" growled Zero, while coordinators and operators were checking their system. How could someone do it in such short time?

"Jeez, guess who I spent last fifteen minutes with, geniuses," he pointed behind him.

"Did I do something wrong?" Douglas was looking humble.

Zero facepalmed himself and he wasn't alone. Signas was looking at Crack. Was he simply joking or was there something else?

"It's alright, he just likes practical jokes too much," said Signas.

Alia was frowning and Crack happily waved at her.

"So Bits is in sector G-7," Silver sighted. Why couldn't it land somewhere nearer?

"Right now there is Maverick activity," said Alia and showed a map of that place on hologram tube.

"Can we pinpoint its location?" Signas looked at the map. It was quite a vast place, looking for one small hedgehog may take days.

"Unfortunately not."

"That leaves us with the plan B," said Silver.

"So you had a way to find it? Why you didn't say so?" asked X.

Silver only made awkward smile. His hands gloved with his power and in them appeared a tool. It came in a pair and it looked like bent rods with a ball at its tip.

"What's that?" asked Crack.

"Double-Down-ing Dowsing Rods (TM)."

"A (TM)?"

"It's professor thing," he mumbled. "But let's see, he upgrade them to use them to search for Bits. They love to hide so…" Silver activated them and they made him do a sudden twist that he lost balance and fell. "It works?" He was amazed, not that he doubted the professor, but he often seemed… you know… absentminded.

"So one is that way, huh? Ok, let's go!"

"Not so fast, robot!"

"'Fast's my middle name, blondie." He pointed at himself with a thumb.

"Like the hell, we will let you among Mavericks, just because you are clear now doesn't mea—Where the heck is he?!" Zero looked around.

"Man, he is fast as Sonic," Silver was honestly amazed.

"Sonic?" asked Signas.

"Yeah, he is a hedgehog and he can run at the speed of sound. Which reminds me—"

"Hey, ya coming or what?" Crack was suddenly sitting on Zero's shoulders, getting everyone's attention.

"How did you?!" he tried to grab him.

"Blondie, ya are too slow," he shouted from the door, that were fifteen meters away.

"Dang it."

"C'mon, ya slowbots!" he rushed out.

Silver was feeling depression.

"X, Axl, and Zero go with them," ordered them Signas.

"Alright." They all run after Crack.

"Took ya long enough," commented Crack when they appeared before HQ on their bikes. Zero only growled he didn't trust that robot a bit. Once he has shown the tiniest maverick syndrome he will put him out of commission. Silver was riding with X.

Crack jumped on Axl's bike and grabbed him. "Gotta go faster, faster, f-f-f-faster!" he shouted when he started his bike.

"Let me at least start the engine!" They headed to the highway that leads from the city.

"Can't you go any slower?" shouted after a while Crack, even if their speed was more than 160 kph.

"I'm going fast!"

"In yar dreams! Step on it, sissy!"

"What?!"

"Don't let him provoke you!" shouted Zero.

"Ya are the one to talk," shouted Crack back.

After a two hours or so, they arrived at the borderline of the sector G-7. It used to be a big industrial zone, but after Maverick's attack, it was abandoned because of heavy damage. The team was hiding on the top of a small cliff.

"I don't see any cameras, but I bet the place in front of us is full of mines." The area was mostly open so it was possible. "So we—" Zero tried to explain his plan.

"No problem," said Crack and before anyone could protest, he run across the whole field setting them off. Silver covered his ears, but he still though he is going to become deaf. After a few seconds, Crack returned to them and mines were still exploding.

"You idiot! Wait before I finish talking!" Zero yelled at him and Silver covered his ears even more.

"Ya talk too slow!"

"Can it!" X interrupted them. "We've got a company!" The mavericks would be stupid to not sent anyone to investigate it. The group consisted Armored Soldiers in mecha suits, dozens of Ball de Vouxs on two powerful legs, Bomb Bees, and Crushers.

To be continued…


	2. First victory

"I knew that guy is just a bad news!" shouted Zero and shot two Bomb Bees.

"Let's solve the problem at the hand first!" Axl shot through four Ball de Vouxs.

Silver wasn't left behind, he just needed time to clear his ears and then he picked mechanoids, short-circuited them and threw them at others. The only one who was enjoying himself was Crack. He was to Mavericks like Black Arm to humans. His homing attack was especially deadly. Soon the last mechanoid bit the dust.

"Totally awesome!" Crack made victory pose. Silver was frowning unhappily their mission was too soon discovered. Finding Bits will be now unnecessary difficult.

"That's it! I run out of patience with him!" Zero approached him when Crack caught his head like he had a headache.

"Oi, Crack?" Silver got nervous.

"-kzzzt- Error… Virus… -Krzzt- Detected…" His eyes were changing from green to red and even looking sinister.

"I knew it!" Zero started to charge his buster, "He is turning to a Maverick!"

"Wait! I can—!" Silver tried to stop Zero, but then Crack jumped on his buster and made a funny face!

"Got ya!"

Everyone was shocked.

"Ya all fell for it hook, line, and sinker!" He was rolling on the ground laughing.

X clenched his fists and came to him. He hit him to head out of the blue. "You fool! You made us worried sick!" Crack looked at him surprised. "This was the last straw! I can put up with many things, but you are totally out of it! You are putting the whole team in a danger and you don't listen to us! You are absolutely uncontrollable!"

Crack looked like he was about to cry. His head went down and he started to do circles. "I didn't want anybody to step on mine… Can't compute joke properly yet… Do I have invalid coding?" He looked really sorry, making X feeling like a bad guy.

He looked at Zero. His expression was rather bored to annoyed. "He is all yours," he didn't bat an eyebrow.

X sighted. "Okay, listen, I'm sorry I hit you and yelled at you, but you have to understand." Crack lifted his head. "This mission is very important. So we have to stick together and work as a team."

Crack slightly nodded. "A team…?"

"Yes, in the team everyone has a role to play and together they can make bigger things possible, otherwise impossible for one person. So let's work together and find the small hedgehog." He knelt and offered him his hand.

Crack smiled like a child and jumped around his neck. "Ya are the best, blue bro! Unlike the red meanie."

"Zero is strict, but he means it well. So listen to him, okay?"

Crack let go and nodded.

"Alright, let's continue."

"X is really good with children," noted Silver.

"I still don't trust him," grumbled Zero. Crack approached him and Zero smirked. "Got a problem, wisebot?"

Crack bowed. "I'm sorry, I'll try to fix my behavior."

Zero felt awkward. "F-Fine, as long you mean it."

Axl chuckled. With this behind them, they soon reached an entrance to the building. Along the path, they destroyed some mechaloids and Crack was behaving, just like he promised.

"Watched out!" Crack shouted and from his left palm sprang electric whip. The flying 'bot was toast in less than second.

"Hey, nice trick," said Axl with a smile.

"Good work," admitted Zero which back was just saved.

"Didn't know I have something like that." Crack inspected his palm.

"How come?" asked Silver and cleared a debris to open a new path.

"I guess professor did mention it, but man, he was talking so fast. I guess I need invoice chip calibration." He cleared his ear.

"What a surprise," noted Zero with a sly smile.

"I still don't get why professor made a battle robot, not that I complain, you are pretty helpful." He raised another debris.

"Actually, it was more between the lines of 'charging batteries'."

Silver dropped the debris and widen his eyes. He winked few times before he looked at innocently looking Crack. Hedgehog just facepalmed himself without any comment. X scratched on a cheek. He had feelings that this professor must be a very interesting person.

Without their knowledge, their every move was watched by cameras and a dark silhouette sitting behind monitors. It was especially interested in the hedgehog robot and its eyes shone red when it saw Silver.

"Interesting," said cold voice.

[Some time later]

They battled their path to the center of the complex leaving dozens of trashed mechanoids and other mavericks behind them. Soon they reached big hall full of cables, some debris, containers and…

"You again!" Zero shouted.

"It's a pleasure to meet you again!" laughed Vile, that was standing in the middle on round and low pedestal.

"An acquaintance?" asked Crack.

"Unfortunately yes. He was one of the first Maverick Hunter to go Maverick," explained X.

"I see there is that furry creature!" growled Vile.

Silver smirked. "And what are you going to do about it?"

"Actually…" Vile lifted his hand, the other one had a buster attached to it, like the canon on his shoulder wasn't enough. "Glad you asked…" He snapped his fingers and from the surroundings wall emerged laser cannons.

"Did you have to ask?" shouted Axl as he was taking a cover from the fire behind a debris.

X and Zero ended up together in the corridor they came from. Silver made a shield from fallen debris and retreated to Axl. Only Crack ended up alone behind a big container.

"Hey, you, the one named Crack, do you hear me?"

"What? You want an autograph?" he peeked from behind an overturned container.

"You are showing a promise. I really liked your performance."

"Don't listen to him, Crack!" shouted X and he wanted to run to him, but the laser guns stopped him.

"You are the perfect machine for mass destruction. You are destined to be Maverick! Let's erase that human's insects and rule this world together!"

Crack's eyes shined a red for a while. "Destruction…?"

"You can kill as much of them as you want! Join us! You will be free."

"Crack! Professor didn't make you for destruction!" yelled Silver. "He wanted for you to protect!" He tried to run toward Crack.

"Silence!" Vile shot a charged shot at Silver, that made a shield. The impact of the shot pushed him back against the wall.

"Does it include no lights-out at ten?" Shouted Crack and jumped on the container.

"Wha—Of course not! You can go wild during the midnight if you want to!" 'What was that supposed to mean', thought Vile.

"Yay!" Cracked run to him and stopped when he was two hedgehog's steps from him.

"No! Don—Darn it!" rumbled X as laser got in his way.

"So, let's make it straight. Does the deal include non-stop destruction, killing dozens of people…" Vile was nodding, "… no paid vacation, overtime, no cookies, and a bald boss?"

"Of cou—What?!"

Crack smiled. "Screw it!" He shot his cannon arm. Vile barely avoided the direct hit in the last second, but it destroyed his back cannon. "And scroosh!" He started to spin and his homing attack made a quick job on laser guns. Vile had no chance to follow him with his eyes, resulting in his turning from one side to another. Crack stuck to the ceiling above Vile. "Like the heck, I'm gonna join ya, losers!" Spin dash made a pancake out of the x-times resurrected maverick. "One zero to coolhog—Oops!" He realized he went too wild.

Rest of the team joined him. Zero looked around before he turned his head to a side. "What a pain, I had to be stuck in the corridor to miss the show."

Crack looked confused. Zero showed him thumb up. Crack widely smiled.

"Cool job, kid," commented it Axl.

They continued further. The corridor lead them to control room with one glassed wall.

"What's that?!" Shouted Silver. All of them pressed against the glass.

"There are like tens of missiles!"

"Hahaha!" Vile's voice come from speakers. "Did you think you have defeated me? Think again!" His ugly helmet was on all screens around them. "I was only a hold up before these beauties fly to the sky and fall down on numerous human's cities!"

"Where is the big red stop button when you need it?" joked a bit frustrated Axl.

"In five minutes they will blast off and then nothing can stop—" Zero punched his face. The rest of the panels showed countdown.

"Look for anything that looks like switch off!"

While everyone was searching, Silver stood nearby. He had no idea what to look for. He wanted to ask, but all of them looked so busy.

'OK, Silver, calm down and focus. There has to be something you can do.'

Only four and half minute remained to blastoff.

He run down to the missile platform. They were all connected by pipes presumably full of cables.

Only four minutes to blastoff.

From the control room sounded an explosion. The hunters were trying to abort the countdown by destroying the control computer. Silver quickly examine his surroundings. There seemed to be a small box next to every rocket platform connected by cables to the bigger one.

Only three minutes to blastoff.

"Run for it! I'll blast the rockets!"

"That will kill you, Zero!" yelled X.

"But countless civilian will be saved! Get going! The World needs you, X!"

"Hey, where is Silver?!" Axl noticed he was gone.

"There he is!" Crack pointed down to platforms.

"What is he doing?"

"His psycho mambo!" shouted Crack as Silver started to get engulfed in his psychic aura.

Only two minutes to blastoff.

'Can I do it? Won't I make it worst?' Silver had a habit to doubt about his powers from time to time. 'No, I have to do it! Everyone is working so hard. I have to give it my all!'

With his hand engulfed in an aura, he touched the big box. He made his power to travel alongside the cables spreading far and wide. 'Just a little more!' He pushed himself to his limits.

Only one minute to blastoff.

"C'mon!" He yelled and the air was filled with a smell of ozone. He fell on the ground totally weary.

"Dang it! We don't have a time!" shouted Zero.

The last five seconds felt like an eternity.

"There are a lot of zeroes, right?" asked Axl after a while.

"Yeah," agreed on X.

"So, why nothing went kaboom?" asked almost disappointed Crack. Everyone was looking at a time, that stopped at 00:05. They run down to where Silver was.

"Silver!" they shouted one after another. "What have you did?" X helped him to stand up.

"I just thought… that my abilities can short circuit so I tried it on these boxes. They looked important."

"Do you realize there could have been a function reacting on it firing the missiles sooner?!" asked Crack by the way.

Silver became white if it was even more possible.

"And it didn't happen! Cool job, Silvie!"

"If you continue like this I'll really turn to a psycho." He made tired smile.

"Anytime." Crack grinned.

"But you did scare us," Axl patted him. "Did I told you, you look cool and creepy when you glow?"

"I guess you just did," Silver joked.

"But man, it's hard to believe this was here without our knowledge." X was looking worried.

"Don't worry, X, we will beat them."

They returned upstairs.

"What's up, Crack? You are unusually quiet," noted Zero.

"I just get the feeling we forgot something." He scratched his quills.

"Hey, we blasted tons of Maverick and stopped their rockets, what possible we could overlook?" Axl happily shrugged his shoulders.

Silver froze. "Bits!" He called his Double-Down-ing Dowsing Rods… (TM) and activated them.

"The virtual hedgehog!" X hit himself to helm. How could they forget?

"Like seriously, Silvie? How could psychic forget something? Isn't using brain yar specialty?"

"Can't be helped with all the stir around us!" The rods were guiding them before they hit the dead end.

"There's nothing." The corridor was empty with the exception of an old machine.

"I now where he is," Silver came to the machine and hid professor's invention. "Hey, Bits, it's me, Silver. Come out." At first, nothing happened, but then a small screen on it flashed and from it emerged yellow humanoid hedgehog with a ball on an antenna. It looked frightened. "There you are, you little rascal." Silver offered it a hand and the virtual hedgehog jump on it.

"He looks pretty cute," said X.

"Until you know him better," Silver smiled. Without any further ado, they returned to Maverick Hunters HQ. There they reported the situation in the G-7 sector.

Signas looked serious. They will have to make more scouting teams to detect more places like this. "Excellent job," he replied. He observed the virtual hedgehog as it was sitting on Alia's lap.

"So it's actually a materialized A.I.? And it can possess simple machines," he mumbled to himself.

Silver used his glove version of Genesis portal generator to create a connection between this world and his. It was quite a spectacle to watch it form. Silver focused. Professor Schlemmer upgraded his device to even provide a visual connection for his experimental Genesis portal generator, that Bits accidentally activated and went through it.

The purple vortex cleared and a connection was established.

"Professor von Schlemmer?" Silver called him, but no one answered. "Maybe he isn—?!

"Vat's up, Silver?"

"Whoa?!" Silver jerked as blue-skinned professor appeared upside down. "You surprised me… and why are you upside-down?"

"Zat's right. I'm testing mein nev invention." He moved further from the portal screen. "Vith zis I can levitate above ze surfa—" He started to lean to one side. Silver squinted as professor disappeared from the screen and only a loud sound was heard. Some cogwheel rolled on the floor.

"It still needs some minor tuning zou." He touched back of his head. "Vait a minute? Vy are you calling? And vere are you?"

"You sent me to look for missing Bits."

"Zat's right! Und vere mein Double-Down-ing Dowsing-rods (TM) functioning?"

"Did he just say (TM)?" asked Axl.

"He sure did," replied Zero.

Silver didn't answer but Bits flew to him.

"Perfect! Und vo are zese people?" Professor finally noticed Signas and other hunters in a background.

"This is Signas, he is the leader of Maverick Hunters I once told you about."

"Ah, zat's right. Nice to meet you. I'm professor Von Schlemmer. Und zese zree must be X, Zero und Axl." They greeted each other. "Und zat reminds me, vere is ze robot?"

"I'm here and the name's Crack," the robot got into the field of a view.

"You are in perfect shape, I vas vorried because ven I found—"

"Let's cut this short, we still have 2 Bits to find," Crack interrupted him.

"Right, send him to me." Bits flew through the portal and professor gave them in return a disc. "Put it into ze Genesis portal generator und you vill know vere to go next. I vish you a luc—" His words were interrupted by loud noise. "Nein, nein, Bits, zat is highly sensitive und sophisticated state of ze ar—" They heard professor's cry and Bits' laughing. The connection was terminated.

"Oh well, we should get going," said little awkward Silver. He put the disc in the circle on his right glove and used his power to get the coordination. "Yosh, I've got it, we are ready to go."

"So you are leaving, huh? I wish you a safe journey," said X and shook hands with the hedgehog.

"Thanks." Silver created next Genesis portal.

Crack looked at Zero and came closer to him. Zero raised his eyebrow in suspicion. That robot was most of the time just bad news.

"Um… Thanks for taking care of me. I learned a lot from ya." He scratched his quills.

"Just take care," Zero didn't want to admit it, but he started to like this small guy. He did have a knack at fighting at least.

"So I guess ya must be tired…" he run to get a chair on wheels, "... so have a seat."

"I'm not tire—pfrrd!" The loud sound was heard from Zero's seat when Crack forced him to sit. Reploid only winked a few times.

"And ya know what?" Crack peeked from behind him and then jumped on Zero's shoulder. "Don't be such old fart, blondie!" As he run, he laughed and jumped into the portal.

Zero jumped completely furious revealing a whoopie cushion. "Don't you ever come back!"

Axl was laughing and X covered his face with a hand.

"Bye," Silver waved to them and quickly jumped to the portal. There he found Crack standing on a cliff. "Why did you do such—" He looked in front of him, "—What happened here?"

The ground was one big wasteland and from the holes here and there burst out a column of fire.

"Guess someone overdid his grill party," noted Crack and put his hands behind quills.

"How can you say that!?"

"Sorry for trying to lighten the mood, Silvie."

"You jokes are always—!" Silver was really angry.

"-Krzttr-… -Krgggtg-" Crack was engulfed in a dark blue aura, jerking, and electric sparks were everywhere.

Silver quickly looked at his hands. Even if he was angry with him, he didn't want this. "I'm not doing thi—?!" The aura engulfed him too. It was immediately crushing him and giving him a hard time to breathe. He felt someone was behind them. Just turning his head hurt like a hell.

As the person was standing in front of the setting sun, he barely saw his silhouette. It reminded him a hedgehog with very sharp and narrow quills. Its body seemed thin and there were lighting squares and rounds on its head and one big long hexagonal on a forehead. It gave an impression its body is covered by an electric circuit. Its eyes were even glowing, giving it even more sinister look.

"Who… are… you…" Silver mustered few words. If it was an enemy he would really appreciate Crack's help. But judging from the strange symbols and noise on his face panel, he was out of commission for now.

To be continued…

* * *

So, how it is? Did I make you smile or at least a grin a bit? If so, this story fulfilled its purpose ;-) The next part will be a looot longer and will consist of two chapters divided into 12 parts. And since it isn't crossover anymore, I'll make new "story" for it in Sonic the Hedgehog section. So keep an eye on my profile page, follow me or just hit the link in Sonic the Hedgehog section, I'll upload here once it will be out :-)

If you like, please leave review or favorite.


End file.
